FORMER Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao director Brig. Gen. Rafael Santigao skipped the turnover of command ceremony on Thursday, October 31, after he was suspended and ordered relieved as the region's top cop.
Instead of a turnover ceremony, PRO-Northern Mindanao held an Assumption of Command to welcome its new regional director Brig. Gen. Rolando Anduyan.
PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, who was present during the ceremony, said he cannot control the circumstances of Santiago's suspension and had no choice but to implement it.
"Sayang no, because dili ni kontrolado but paggawas sa iyang suspension which was October 21 it pains me since he was my classmate but we have to impose kay muingon napud sila nga si OIC gamboa, pabor-pabor, bata-bata," Gamboa said.
Gamboa said he told Santiago, who was his classmate that he may be at the wrong place and wrong time.
"Ako siyang giistoryahan nga unsaon, naa ka siguro sa sayop nga oras, sa sayop nga lugar, tungod kay nigawas ni we have to implement it. And I want to show to everybody that if I can do that to my classmate, even with a limited scheme of authority, I can do it to every single personnel in the PNP," Gamboa added.
PRO-10 spokesperson Lt. Col. Mardy Hortillosa meanwhile said Santiago skipped the ceremony because his suspension was already in effect since October 21.
Santiago is reassigned to the Office of the Chief PNP.
Santiago served as the top official of PRO-Northern Mindanao last May.
